Anticipate minimal changes at the peak of the AP Top 25 rankings, set to be released at 2 p.m. ET. Week 9 of the college football season progressed mostly as predicted, despite a few nail-biting encounters.
The true drama unfolded outside the elite top 10. Washington upset No. 23 Illinois, Memphis claimed victory over No. 18 South Florida, and Houston stunned No. 24 Arizona.
No. 22 Texas and No. 16 Virginia narrowly avoided upsets in overtime, with Texas edging out Mississippi State and Virginia fending off UNC.
Meanwhile, an undefeated No. 11 BYU delivered a compelling performance against Iowa State, bolstering their case for breaking into the top 10. However, that ascent may be challenging, as all top 10 teams secured wins this weekend, contrasting sharply with last week when four top 10 teams faltered.
This weekend’s victorious teams included No. 7 Georgia Tech, who overcame Syracuse, No. 4 Alabama, who triumphed over South Carolina, No. 10 Vanderbilt, who bested Missouri, and No. 2 Indiana, who defeated UCLA.
The key question remains: which teams will rise in the rankings?
Follow live updates from The Associated Press below for poll projections, game recaps, analysis and voter answers to fan questions, all in one place.
Who might rise and fall this week
Stock up: BYU, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Cincinnati.
Stock down: LSU, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Florida.
Top 10 teams all hold strong in Week 9
Week 9 unfolded mostly as expected after four top 10 teams lost in Week 8.
Indiana, Georgia Tech, Texas A&M and Miami cruised past opponents. Alabama held off South Carolina and Vanderbilt edged Missouri in a last-minute thriller.
Oregon knocked off Wisconsin and Ole Miss returned to the win column with a victory over Oklahoma.
Ohio State and Georgia had the week off.
Who votes in the poll, and how does it work?
No organization has been ranking teams and naming a major college football national champion longer than The Associated Press, since 1936.
AP employees don’t vote themselves, but they do choose the voters. AP Top 25 voters comprise around 60 writers and broadcasters who cover college football for AP members and other select outlets. The goal is to have every state with a Football Bowl Subdivision school represented by at least one voter.
There is a 1-to-25 point system, with a team voted No. 1 receiving 25 points down to 1 point for a 25th-place vote. After that, it’s simple: The poll lists the teams with the most points from 1 to 25, and others receiving votes are also noted.
Voting is done online, and the tabulation is automated.
